Award-Winning Educational Videos on Innovative Surgical Techniques

Berlin, Germany. Thanks to modern surgical techniques, eye surgeons can now do more than ever to save a patient’s eyesight or correct vision defects. High-quality educational videos play a major role in teaching both students and qualified ophthalmologists complex techniques. At the 111th DOG congress, three excellent examples were distinguished with the 2013 Video Award, sponsored by Leica Microsystems. This year’s prize winners are Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Franz Grehn, Würzburg, Dr. med. Raid Darawsha, Essen, and Professor Dr. med. Burkhard Dick, Bochum.

“The award-winning films show doctors exactly how to do the procedures. Our idea behind sponsoring the video award was to underline the importance of well-made educational videos in the training of doctors,” stressed Andreas Baldauf, Team Leader Medical at Leica Microsystems, in his opening remarks at the award presentation ceremony in Berlin.

The first prize went to Professor Grehn for his video “A new filtration surgery technique”. Embracing elements of filtration trabeculectomy, trabeculotomy and non-penetrating deep sclerectomy, this technique distributes the aqueous humor outflow resistance to two planes of the eyeball wall, thereby improving the damping of the outflow dynamics. As the DOG jury said in their laudatory speech, this well-prepared, high-quality video presents a clearly-structured and factually commentated guide to all steps of the surgical technique. “The video is designed for ophthalmologists familiar with glaucoma surgery methods and teaches the necessary details for being able to apply this new technique, which is accompanied by a comparative scientific study,” commented Professor Grehn.

Dr. Darawsha received second prize for his video “Therapy of an extensive conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma by interdisciplinary surgery for radical tumor resection and conjunctiva reconstruction with oral mucous membrane and amniotic membrane.” According to the jury, this video is an excellent teaching aid for ophthalmologists operating on similarly complex cases of surgical reconstruction after eyelid tumor removal.

Professor Dick’s video demonstrates the technical potential of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery on a four-month-old infant with a congenital cataract. This professional quality video won third prize due to the innovative nature of the topic.

Learning and continuous development carry high priority at Leica Microsystems. “We develop our microscopes and scientific instruments with the user for the user to make sure they completely meet the needs of our customers. Our surgical microscopes therefore allow uncomplicated recording of surgical procedures in HD and with the newest visualization technology available,” explained Baldauf in his greeting. “Besides the growing importance of films in education, this form of knowledge transfer can be repeated as often as desired. Doctors can use the videos for lectures, show it at team meetings, and discuss sequences with colleagues”.

The DOG is the medical scientific association for ophthalmology in Germany. It is the umbrella organization for more than 6,400 ophthalmologists and scientists involved in ophthalmological research, education and therapy.

The DOG’s key concern is to promote research in ophthalmology: It supports scientific projects and studies, organizes congresses and publishes scientific journals. The DOG also fosters young researchers in ophthalmology by awarding scholarships, for example.

Founded in Heidelberg in 1857, the DOG is the oldest medical scientific association in the world.